


Could I maybe?

by xxDreamy



Series: Malec Flufftober 2019 [9]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, M/M, Magnus is so in love, Pining, art classes, paint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 13:14:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20967134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxDreamy/pseuds/xxDreamy
Summary: He just wants to say hi. And maybe talk a little. And maybe get a date. And maybe, just maybe, ask him to be his prom date.Right.Great.Time to come back down to earth, Magnus.-----Alec is cute and clumsy, desperately trying to make a painting. Magnus is shy and talented, ready to help his crush.Things happen.





	Could I maybe?

**Author's Note:**

> Helloooo!
> 
> Have fun reading! <3
> 
> D.

There’s a boy in Magnus’ Art class who is absolutely endearing. He is sure the boy doesn’t want to be there, considering his non-vanishing frown and a grimace that is always present on his features. In their school Art class is obligatory and during four years of high school students need to attend it at least once, for one semester, to get a credit. It’s their Senior Year and Magnus has no illusions about the fact this cute boy avoided the class until the very end.

Magnus has always been shy and quiet. The only thing that made other students look at him was his make-up that is always impeccable. Since he was a kid, he has loved painting. It became a part of him when he was in middle school and that’s why he decided to take part in Art classes through all of those four years. Every year he chose the desk in the right corner of the class, at the end. He feels safe when he sits there, dreamy in his own world. This year however said boy joined him, choosing the desk in the left corner. Magnus couldn’t help but stare during every class. At first, he felt like a creep but with time he realized he actually has a crush on the boy.

Alec Lightwood.

Magnus has known him before or rather, he has seen him. His siblings are those popular kids everyone wants to interact with. Alec is always by their side, watching and, to Magnus’ delight, frowning at every boy that tries to flirt with his sister. Alec himself is not considered popular, he just follows his siblings. He has his own friends, as Magnus noticed. There is this girl, Aline, his cousin from what he heard, and her girlfriend, Helen. Magnus’ childhood friend Maia is also in their group and sometimes, during lunch, she jumps from one table to another to say hi to all of them. When they first saw Alec, Simon called him The Shadow because of the obvious reasons. Ragnor and Catarina unanimously said Alec Lightwood is The Bodyguard what made Magnus snort so loudly that the whole cafeteria laid their questioning eyes on him. When last year Maia befriended Alec, she told him about it and to this day Magnus remembers how those hazel irises shone when he laughed. 

Alec isn’t really active during the classes. He rarely interacts with anyone, mostly focused on his own things, clearly there just to get a credit. When he needs to do something specific their teacher set, he always ends up frowning and sighing, hopelessly staring at the piece of paper. Magnus adores it. He adores him. Each time he is one step from changing his seat and nestling next to Alec and each time he abandons the idea.

He just wants to say hi. And maybe talk a little. And maybe get a date. And maybe, just _maybe_, ask him to be his prom date.

Right.

Great.

Time to come back down to earth, Magnus.

He lifts his eyes, looking at Mrs Fairchild who is standing in the middle of the class. “To get your credit this year, I want you to paint something. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece but I want it to be something you feel like creating. Use your imagination, experiment a little, surprise yourselves. Express yourselves, that’s what I’m asking for”, she smiles brightly at them. “Please, pass your paintings in till the end of this month. You can start today, have fun”, she tells them and sits on her chair.

Magnus grins widely, his mind rushing, trying to find something perfect for this assignment. He will do his best as always. He looks at his left, noticing Alec’s pale face. He nervously plays with his fingers, his eyelids shut.

Should Magnus ask him what is wrong?

No, maybe not today.

He averts his eyes and turns his gaze on his notebook, ready to sketch the idea that flashed through his mind.

Magnus is ecstatic. He finished his painting last evening, with two weeks left to the final date. He can’t help but feel proud of himself. He wants to give it to Mrs. Fairchild after today’s class. He hums under his nose, running through his Math’s notes, getting ready for the test when he hears something in a quiet library. He stands up from his seat, following the disturbing noise, and then he sees him. Alec Lightwood is on the floor, his back resting against the bookshelf, scrunched paper around him. He covers his face with his hand and Magnus is pretty sure he can hear small sobs escaping him. His heart clenches painfully in his chest and he moves closer, calling attention to him. Alec’s bleary hazel irises lay on him just for a second before he jumps on his feet, wiping the tears from his face.

“Hi”, he says steadily. If it wasn’t for his eyes, Magnus would never think he was crying.

“Hey”, he replies, staring at him. “Do you need any help with it?”, he points at the sheets of paper that ended up on the floor.

“No, I’m good”, he tells him and Magnus nods slowly. He doesn’t have to be told twice if he’s not wanted somewhere. He turns on his feet, heading for the desk he left his things on. “Magnus?”, Alec whispers and he freezes. Does this pretty boy knows his name?

_Oh my fucking God. _

He spins around, barely stopping himself from staring. Alec’s hazel eyes are wide and full of fear. “What did you paint?”, he asks him shyly.

“A butterfly”, he answers and Alec tilts his head to the side, a silent question in his gaze. “Come on, I’m going to show you”, he grins, motioning for the desk. Alec picks up his things, along with scrunched pieces of paper, and follows him. He takes the painting out of his folder and lays in front of Alec.

“Well fuck”, he breathes out, absentmindedly, his fingers almost touching the painting. The butterfly’s wings are half blue and half black, with small hints of yellow on them. It’s a simple picture but it’s what Magnus aimed for. Simplicity. A beauty of nature. “Wow”, he whispers, biting his lip nervously. “This is amazing, how-”, he stops to shake his head. “Nevermind, I don’t want to interrupt you”, he states suddenly, turning around to head for the exit.

“Hey”, Magnus says, catching his arm with his hand. Alec looks at him, his eyes glued to Magnus’ fingers, tight around his skin.

Right, right, right, right.

_Skin._

“I can help you if you want”, he suggests shyly and Alec smiles widely, making his knees go weak. “Let’s sit, maybe?”, he tilts his head to motion at the chairs. Alec nods, his hazel eyes shining in a dimmed light of the library. “First, you need to sketch what you want to paint after”, he tells him and Alec pinches his nose.

“I actually did it”, he sighs tiredly and Magnus beams at him.

“You did?”, he asks proudly but Alec only hides his head in his hands.

“I did and I fucked up after”, he explains angrily. “I’m not great at drawing but I actually liked what I did and then I put the paint on it and _fuck_”, he almost sobs, his fists clenching.

“Did you binned it?”, Alec shakes his head and reaches for his own folder, pulling out a sheet of paper. Magnus notices pencil’s trails on it, followed by a navy blue paint.

“I wanted to go for a moon but I put too much paint and now it’s so dark I don’t know what to do”, Alec confesses, biting his lip to calm himself down.

“I love it”, Magnus only says, trailing the lines with his fingers.

“You do?”, Alec breathes out and Magnus nods eagerly, grinning at him.

“Yeah”, he whispers. “You just need to brighten it”, he advises, taking his pencil into his hand. “Add some stars here and a bigger moon, maybe water?”, he prompts, his eyes glued to the sketch. “Some reflection?”

“I’ll probably screw this up again when I have to paint it”, Alec pouts adorably and Magnus almost swoons.

“No, you won’t. I can help you. Do you have time now? We could stay here?”, he proposes quickly. Alec looks at him, wide-eyed.

“You don’t mind?”

“Why would I? It’s a pleasure, Alexander”, Magnus tells him and Alec shakes his head, a shy smile on his face.

“It’s Alec”, he corrects him.

“Alexander sounds prettier”, Magnus states, shrugging a little. Alec blushes slightly and he feels like the biggest winner in the world.

“I owe you anything you want”, he says and Magnus beams at him.

“Oh, you definitely do”, he answers happily. Alec smiles at him again and moves his eyes to look at his sketch.

Would it be out of line to ask him to be his prom date right now?

Yeah, right. Bad idea.

But maybe? Like maybe, maybe?

Magnus will think about it.


End file.
